Qualifying week coming up for city seats

Published: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at 5:37 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 at 5:37 p.m.

Next week is qualifying week for those wishing to get their name on the October ballot for the city of Ocala elections for the office of mayor and three City Council seats.

Qualifying begins at noon on Monday and ends at noon on Friday.

“During the week of qualifying, I need their DS-DE 9 form, that’s appointing a campaign treasurer and designation of campaign depository,” City Clerk Angel Jacobs said. “I tell them, before you do anything, I need the appointment of campaign treasurer on file. We have an official date time stamp.”

That is the first of a number of steps that must be completed for someone to become a candidate.

For example, candidates must provide 25 petitions signed by registered city voters.

“I suggest they get more because a lot of people think that they are registered city voters because their address is Ocala,” Jacobs said.

If a person has an Ocala address that does not mean they are city residents. Many people who have Ocala addresses actually live outside the city limits. For a petition to be valid, the person who signs it must be a registered voter who lives in the city.

“They are accepted on a conditional basis,” Jacobs said about the petitions.

The Marion County Supervisor of Elections Office certifies that the petitions are valid.

“I will certify the number of valid and invalid, if applicable, petitions that were submitted to me,” Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox said. “If they are invalid, I will tell (Jacobs) why there were invalid, and it can be multiple reasons.”

One of the most common reasons a petition is rejected is because the voter did not sign it, he said. Another is that the voter does not provide his or her birthday.

Candidates also must provide a financial disclosure form and have 10 days from the time the campaign treasurer is appointed to sign a Statement of Candidate form stating they have read and understand Chapter 106 of the Florida statutes regarding campaign financing.

In addition, candidates must sign a loyalty oath and residency affidavit.

“Council members must live in the district they run in,” Jacobs said.

The mayor may live in any city district.

All candidates must pay an assessment fee, which is 1 percent of the annual salary for a council member or mayor. Council members earn $200 a month, or $2,400 a year, meaning the fee is $24. The mayor earns $550 a month, or $6,600 a year. The fee for the mayor’s position is $66.

Six candidates — three incumbents and three newcomers — have announced their intention to run for office and have opened campaign accounts and named campaign treasurers.

Current Mayor Kent Guinn is seeking a second two-year term. So far, he is unopposed.

Council terms are four years.

Suzy Heinbockel, the District 1 council member, is running for a second term. She is being challenged by Brent Russell Malever, a retired clothier, for the citywide At-Large seat.

Jay A. Musleh, who is filling the unexpired term of former Councilman John O. Priester, who was removed from office for not living in the district he represented, is seeking a full term. Musleh is being challenged by Aaron Richard Fiehn, who does auto body work and repairs motorcycles, for the District 3 seat representing south Ocala.

Councilman Daniel Owen, who represents District 5, the eastern portion of the city, is not seeking a fourth term. James Patrick Hilty Sr., a financial advisor for Edward Jones, is running for that seat. So far, Hilty is unopposed.

All city elections are non-partisan.

Election Day is Oct. 15. A runoff election, if necessary, will be Nov. 19.

Packets of election information are available in Jacobs’ office on the first floor of City Hall at 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala. She also can be reached at 629-8266 or ajacobs@ocalafl.org.

Information also is available at the city’s website, www.ocalafl.org. Click “City Government” then “City Departments” then “City Clerk.”

<p>Next week is qualifying week for those wishing to get their name on the October ballot for the city of Ocala elections for the office of mayor and three City Council seats.</p><p>Qualifying begins at noon on Monday and ends at noon on Friday.</p><p>“During the week of qualifying, I need their DS-DE 9 form, that's appointing a campaign treasurer and designation of campaign depository,” City Clerk Angel Jacobs said. “I tell them, before you do anything, I need the appointment of campaign treasurer on file. We have an official date time stamp.”</p><p>That is the first of a number of steps that must be completed for someone to become a candidate.</p><p>For example, candidates must provide 25 petitions signed by registered city voters.</p><p>“I suggest they get more because a lot of people think that they are registered city voters because their address is Ocala,” Jacobs said.</p><p>If a person has an Ocala address that does not mean they are city residents. Many people who have Ocala addresses actually live outside the city limits. For a petition to be valid, the person who signs it must be a registered voter who lives in the city.</p><p>“They are accepted on a conditional basis,” Jacobs said about the petitions.</p><p>The Marion County Supervisor of Elections Office certifies that the petitions are valid.</p><p>“I will certify the number of valid and invalid, if applicable, petitions that were submitted to me,” Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox said. “If they are invalid, I will tell (Jacobs) why there were invalid, and it can be multiple reasons.”</p><p>One of the most common reasons a petition is rejected is because the voter did not sign it, he said. Another is that the voter does not provide his or her birthday.</p><p>Candidates also must provide a financial disclosure form and have 10 days from the time the campaign treasurer is appointed to sign a Statement of Candidate form stating they have read and understand Chapter 106 of the Florida statutes regarding campaign financing.</p><p>In addition, candidates must sign a loyalty oath and residency affidavit.</p><p>“Council members must live in the district they run in,” Jacobs said.</p><p>The mayor may live in any city district.</p><p>All candidates must pay an assessment fee, which is 1 percent of the annual salary for a council member or mayor. Council members earn $200 a month, or $2,400 a year, meaning the fee is $24. The mayor earns $550 a month, or $6,600 a year. The fee for the mayor's position is $66.</p><p>Six candidates — three incumbents and three newcomers — have announced their intention to run for office and have opened campaign accounts and named campaign treasurers.</p><p>Current Mayor Kent Guinn is seeking a second two-year term. So far, he is unopposed.</p><p>Council terms are four years.</p><p>Suzy Heinbockel, the District 1 council member, is running for a second term. She is being challenged by Brent Russell Malever, a retired clothier, for the citywide At-Large seat.</p><p>Jay A. Musleh, who is filling the unexpired term of former Councilman John O. Priester, who was removed from office for not living in the district he represented, is seeking a full term. Musleh is being challenged by Aaron Richard Fiehn, who does auto body work and repairs motorcycles, for the District 3 seat representing south Ocala.</p><p>Councilman Daniel Owen, who represents District 5, the eastern portion of the city, is not seeking a fourth term. James Patrick Hilty Sr., a financial advisor for Edward Jones, is running for that seat. So far, Hilty is unopposed.</p><p>All city elections are non-partisan.</p><p>Election Day is Oct. 15. A runoff election, if necessary, will be Nov. 19.</p><p>Packets of election information are available in Jacobs' office on the first floor of City Hall at 110 SE Watula Ave., Ocala. She also can be reached at 629-8266 or ajacobs@ocalafl.org.</p><p>Information also is available at the city's website, www.ocalafl.org. Click “City Government” then “City Departments” then “City Clerk.”</p><p><i>Contact Susan Latham Carr at 867-4156 or susan.carr@starbanner.com.</i></p>